Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats' Bowden refutes Soriano rumors — Reports said outfielder heading to White Sox in trade — WASHINGTON — According to a published report, the Nationals are close to sending Alfonso Soriano to the White Sox. The only thing general manager Jim Bowden would say about the report is that a deal is not in place.
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Sam Borden / NY Daily News:
Soriano looks out of reach — ARLINGTON - White Sox GM Kenny Williams shot down reports yesterday that the Nationals were on the verge of sending Alfonso Soriano to the Windy City in exchange for Brandon McCarthy, but many in baseball - including some Yankee officials - believe Soriano might still end up in Chicago.
ESPN:
Source: ChiSox 'extremely close' to Soriano deal — The White Sox are "extremely close" to trading for Nationals outfielder Alfonso Soriano, a source close to the situation told ESPN The Magazine's Tim Kurkjian. The Nationals have great interest in pitcher Brandon McCarthy.
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Don't put any deal past Williams — Sandy Alomar arrived late Sunday, with Mike MacDougal right behind him Monday. These are little moves compared with the ones Ken Williams still wants to make—for Alfonso Soriano and who knows who else? The way Williams and others around baseball are talking …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Williams' manhunt picks up steam — White Sox get Royals' reliever MacDougal; McCarthy off limits — General manger Ken Williams fortified the White Sox's bullpen Monday by acquiring flame-throwing Mike MacDougal from the Royals for two pitching prospects but said he was unwilling to deal …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Blast it all — HRs in 6th help doom Vazquez again; Tigers up 7½ — Poor performances by the White Sox's starting pitchers necessitated the trade for reliever Mike MacDougal from Kansas City in an effort to shorten their workload. — But that didn't cure Javier Vazquez's persistent …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
White Sox Show Strong Interest in Soriano — Alfonso Soriano's future could lie with the team that deems him the missing piece to win the American League Central. Indications came yesterday that the Chicago White Sox have emerged as a late player in the bidding for the Washington Nationals' left fielder …
Discussion:
MLB.com
MLB.com:Nationals name Mike Rizzo Assistant GM and Vice President of Baseball Operations
Discussion:
Nationals Farm Authority
Art Thiel / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Slapstick home run livens up Safeco lore — In its short history, the local ballyard has not been a repository of exotic moments. — Perhaps it is the uptight franchise's penchant for neatness, propriety and politeness. Maybe the yard needs an ex-player's ghost to haunt a bullpen.
Discussion:
The Sports Frog
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Andrew Marchand / New York Post:
ESPN FIRES REYNOLDS — July 25, 2006 — ESPN yesterday fired analyst Harold Reynolds from Baseball Tonight, sources told The Post. The reason was not immediately known. — "We are not going to comment," ESPN VP Josh Krulewitz said. — When asked how they are going to explain that Reynolds …
Discussion:
Deadspin
Rick Wilton / Hardball Times:
Baseball Injury Report — Featured Note of the Week — There is a lesson here. Back in June 2005, just after he had Tommy John surgery, Dr. James Andrews stated he believed Dotel could be ready by the opener in 2006. At the time, it was a surprising comment.
Discussion:
Dem Bums
Fred Mitchell / Chicago Tribune:
Sosa can't believe he's not a 'Hero' — Especially after all his 'glorious years' as Cubs slugger — Sammy Sosa is incredulous at being left off the list of five Cubs "Hometown Heroes." — In a wide-ranging phone interview with the Tribune from his home in Miami, the former slugger reacted …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
MLB.com:
Lerner Group finalizes purchase of Washington Nationals — The Washington Nationals today announced the official transfer of ownership from Major League Baseball to an ownership group headed by Washington developer Theodore N. Lerner, his son Mark D. Lerner, sons-in-law Edward L. Cohen, and Robert K. Tanenbaum, and their families.
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Scouting can be daunting for players — South Florida Sun-Sentinel — "The book" on an opposing starter in the minor leagues, if one is even available, is easy reading. Best pitches. Out pitches. Maybe some velocities. It's the equivalent of short sentences with not too many multisyllabic words.
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Wells making strides in rehab — OAKLAND, Calif. — Any frustration was released on a bag of balls that felt the full force of a David Wells kick, its contents scattered over the McAfee Coliseum infield. Following an Alex Cora bouncer in the vicinity of the mound — though the infielder already …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
OK outing for Lester, family — SEATTLE — By his count, Jon Lester figures there were about 50 family members and friends in the stands yesterday at Safeco Field, a place they'd seen him pitch once before, while he was still starring for Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma.
